Agile project management methodology for developing IT projects at a higher education institution

Straipsnyje pateikiama Agile metodų apžvalga bei plačiau analizuojamas Agile Scrum metodas. Šiuo metodu siūloma ugdyti studentų gebėjimą planuoti ir organizuoti darbus besikeičiančioje aplinkoje ir remtis aukštosiose mokyklose rengiant IT srities projektus. Straipsnyje analizuojamas Šiaulių valstybinės kolegijos studentų, rengusių IT projektus pagal Agile Scrum metodą, nuomonės tyrimas. Atliekant tyrimą buvo siekiama išsiaiškinti, ar studentų susipažinimas su Agile metodika ir galimais projektų valdymo įrankiais buvo naudingi, ar reikėtų plačiau naudoti ir integruoti Agile projektų metodiką ir programinės įrangos naudojimą IT srities projektų valdyme.The article provides an overview of the Agile methods and analyses the Agile Scrum method deeper. The article analyses the opinions of the students of the Šiauliai State College who have completed IT projects in accordance with the Agile Scrum method. The aim of the study was to find out if students were familiar with the Agile methodology, whether the project management tools have been helpful and whether Agile project methodology should be used more widely and integrated in the field of IT project management. The research results showed that classical project management methods do not satisfy project developers in a changing environment and should be replaced by more flexible software development methods. Based on the results of the Agile Development Study, the usage of the Agile Scrum method is 58% and the trust in this method is growing. A more detailed analysis of the Agile Scrum approach suggests that this is one of the simplest and most appropriate methods for developing IT projects. Agile Scrum does not specify any special tools to implement into the program, but gives the team (the student) the freedom to organise their work according to the defined scale and time settings. Because of the fact that the Agile method is becoming more popular, the Agile project management methodology could be used in the learning process: the creation of students IT projects, thus introducing students to the methodology that is becoming more popular, teaching how to manage their time and control the project development process. The Šiauliai State College students’ survey analysis showed that the familiarity with Agile project management methodology and project management tools has been helpful in 100% of the respondents. In addition to that, the students think that the Agile methodology and the use of software should be implemented into more IT project management areas. 90% of the survey respondents agree that project management in accordance with the Agile Scrum approach had an impact on the final outcome of the project or of the subject